The Center is planned to be located in the city of Novhorod-Siversky that was described in the lyric and epic tale, masterpiece of ancient literature. However, it’s not all that easy – archeologists already have their remarks.
“The first aspect mentioned in the concept is the rebuilding of the Prince Castle on the Castle Hill. During the whole time of excavation works held there only nearly five or six percent of the territory was examined, except for two or three houses and Prince honey storage rooms which were partially excavated,” said professor Volodymyr KOVALENKO, head of the Department of Ukrainian History and Archeology, director of the Institute of Archeology and Ancient History of the Northern Left Bank at Chernihiv National Pedagogical University. He added: “We do not know the planning of this castle. Besides, the reinforcement constructions were cut only in two places. When we reconstructed Baturin we dug the entire perimeter of fortifications including the ditch. Nearly 350 people worked on the excavations for a whole year, that is why we managed to dig out foundations of both the hetman’s palace and the treasure, but we only reconstructed the parts we found.”
Kovalenko thinks that if only the Prince honey storage rooms and two houses would be rebuilt on the Castle Hill it will look at least comical. Archeologist’s remarks also refer to the planned rebuilding of the town of Putyvl on Putyvl Hill described in the concept. “Town of Putyvl was destroyed in the 1940s by chalk quarry,” said researcher. “Only a small settlement remained, known as Ihor village, but there is only 20 percent excavated of what can be possibly studied. That is why no reconstruction works should be conducted on neither Novhorod, nor on Putyvl Hill without further research and excavations done in this area.”
